


With your heart in your hand (and your sword at your side)

by creampuffqueen



Series: Future Family Fics [34]
Category: Throne of Glass Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, It's all fluff, and it's a songfic, rowan and aelin are best parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:29:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26868949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/creampuffqueen/pseuds/creampuffqueen
Summary: A prompt request from tumblr "they've gotten so big, it's hard to believe how little they used to be"orAelin teaches her youngest children to control their fire, and realizes how fast her family is growing up
Relationships: Aelin Ashryver Galathynius | Celaena Sardothien/Rowan Whitethorn
Series: Future Family Fics [34]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1538509
Comments: 4
Kudos: 31





	With your heart in your hand (and your sword at your side)

**Author's Note:**

> hey friends! it's been a hot second since i posted anything throne of glass related! have some rowaelin family fluff to make your day better!
> 
> (title taken from the song Oh the Places You'll Go, by I Fight Dragons)

Aelin Ashryver Whitethorn Galathynius, queen of Terrasen, stood in the courtyard of her palace, fire flickering at her fingertips, watching as the two small children before her copied her stance and produced puffs of smoke that billowed from their hands. 

“Good, Thallan,” She praised her son, smiling as a spark flew from his open palm and onto the stone ground. The boy grinned back at her, stretching his arms out further to focus the heat more. 

“Aerith, that’s so good!” Aelin turned to the other child, her youngest daughter, feeling the heat at her side. The tiniest of flames fluttered from Aerith’s hand, and the girl’s blue-gold eyes lit up with delight.

“Mama! I’m doing it!”

The flame sputtered out a moment later, and Aelin couldn’t resist scooping up her daughter into a hug. “I’m so proud of you, sweetheart!”

“Mama, look!” Thallan demanded her attention as a matching flame, twin to his sister’s, appeared in his palm.

Just like Aerith’s, Thallan’s flame didn’t last for more than a few seconds, but Aelin couldn’t care less. She pulled her littlest child toward her, relishing his squeal of delight.

“Both of you are doing so well!”

“Can we show Daddy?” Aerith begged, pointing to the sky. Aelin’s gaze followed the little finger, her grin widening as she saw the white-tailed hawk that was circling the courtyard. 

“Of course you can. I know he’ll be impressed.”

Rowan dove to the ground, shifting in a flash of light and landing on his feet. The two five-year-olds escaped their mother’s grip to run to him, clinging to his legs.

“Daddy!” Thallan shouted excitedly, “Watch us! Me and Aerith can make fire like Mommy can!”

Rowan locked eyes with his mate across the yard, and she leaned against one of the walls with a smirk. _Watch them,_ she said with her eyes, _They both can do it._

“I’m gonna be the best fire wielder in the world!” Aerith laughed, focusing hard on the tips of her fingers. Fire danced at the tip of each one, for barely half a second, before going up in puffs of smoke. “Did you see that, Daddy?”

“That’s so good, sweetheart.” Rowan praised, his smile so wide that his pointed canines could be seen. “And you learned that so quickly.”

Beaming at his compliment, Aerith repeated her actions over again, producing small flames that went up in smoke. 

Thallan tugged at his father’s hand, demanding his attention. “Daddy, I’m gonna be even better than Aerith.”

“Well, nobody can be better than Lyria,” his twin sniped back, her bottom lip jutting out in a pout. “So there.”

“Don’t start fighting, you two.” Rowan sighed. “Thallan, show me your fire. I’m sure both of you are incredible.”

He always knew just what to say. Aelin watched happily as her children both produced small bursts of flame. At five years old, they had already achieved a lot power-wise. Both of them were creating snowstorms in their cribs when they were toddlers, and their powers had only grown. 

Recently, the two children had gotten overexcited during a game of hide and seek and set a curtain on fire, leading to their current situation; Aelin training both of them with her power of fire. 

After showing off to his father, Thallan distracted his twin’s attempts at creating more fire by starting a game of tag. The high pitched squeals of the two children running around the courtyard were music to Aelin’s ears.

With Aerith and Thallan distracted, Rowan made his way over to his wife and mate. He wrapped a strong arm over her shoulders and leaned down to kiss her hair.

“Remember when they were so little?” Aelin sighed. Thallan nearly tagged his sister, but she shifted into her animal form at the last second, causing him to miss. The hawk she’d transformed into gave an indignant squawk, and flew up to the tallest tree.

“They’ve both grown so much.” Rowan agreed. “It’s hard to believe that they used to be that little.”

“Wasn’t it just yesterday they were just babies?” Aelin could feel herself starting to get emotional, and she wiped futilely at her eyes. “Wasn’t it just yesterday all of them were babies?”

“They grow up too fast.” Her mate murmured gently in her ear. “Remember how Lyria and Sam would crawl into our bed at dawn to snuggle?”

“Or how Aspen never liked to crawl, he was just sitting one day and walking the next?” Aelin sighed, reliving fond memories of her children. 

“Or how Evalin would run around the palace with just her diaper and a tiara?” His hand rubbed gentle circles on her back as Aelin sniffed softly.

“And now they’re so big, Rowan.”

Before he could respond, Rowan’s attention caught on something in the sky. Aelin followed his gaze, a wet laugh escaping her throat as she saw her youngest children, both in their animal forms, chasing each other through the sky.

An ear-piercing shriek came from over the horizon, another bird flying over the high wall of the courtyard. Another white-tailed hawk, the same form as his father. Aspen shifted, landing on top of the wall, and waved to his parents.

“Hey Aspen, done with your schoolwork?” Aelin called, quickly drying her eyes. 

“Uile air a dhèanamh*, Mama.” Her son replied proudly.

“Obair mhath, a mhic**.” Rowan replied in the Old Language. As part of their royal studies, Aelin and Rowan required all their children to study another language. Aspen, ever his father’s twin, chose to study the old language of the Fae.

“Are Aerith and Thallan practicing fighting?” Aspen asked, in common.

“Kids, do you want to show your brother what you can do?” Rowan called to the hawks in the sky. Both birds squawked back, and dove fast for the courtyard.

“Aspen we can make fire!” Aerith squealed, mouth already moving a thousand miles per hour straight from her animal form. “Watch watch watch!”

The twins proceeded to show off their new skills proudly, while their older brother looked on happily from his perch on the wall. Aelin glanced up at the sky, watching as the sun began to dip low.

“I think it’s almost time for dinner, yeah?” Rowan asked, interrupting Aspen showing the twins a move to control wind, “Let’s head in.”

“Rachamaid ithe!” Aspen cried happily, clearly trying to show off. When Aerith gave him a confused look, he translated, “Let’s go eat!”

Inside the palace, Aelin and Rowan sat at the dinner table, taking in the scenery of all their children gathered in one place.

Lyria, ever the princess, eating prim and proper. Sam, sunk low in his seat, arms crossed sullenly as he and his older sister quipped back and forth. Aspen, speaking rapidly in the Old Language to whoever would listen. Evalin, trying to get her little sister to hold still long enough to braid her silver hair. Aerith and Thallan, subtly flicking bits of dinner at each other. 

Their family was messy and chaotic, and growing up far too quickly for her liking, but sitting there, eating dinner with all of them, Aelin wouldn’t trade them for the world.

**Author's Note:**

> note: i used Scottish Gaelic for the Old Language. i just used google translate, so i'm sure it's probably not completely correct. if someone who speaks the language wants to correct me, please feel free!
> 
> Uile air a dhèanamh: All done
> 
> Obair mhath, a mhic: Well done, son
> 
> hope you enjoyed! make sure to leave kudos/comments! check out my tumblr @creampuffqueen!


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